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Monday, November 16, 2009

Liptauer Cheese Spread - Blue Monday

This may look familiar. It is Arva castle and from its highest parapet there is a view of Lipto, home of Liptauer cheese spread. It's also the site where the old vampire film Nosferatu was filmed.

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I know that early exposure helps us develop an affinity for certain foods. It's the only plausible explanation for my love of Central European food. I had my first taste of Liptauer cheese at the age of 4 and we've had an improbable love affair ever since. Lipto is a fresh Hungarian cheese that's made with sheep's milk. It has a very soft consistency, but it's so mild that it's almost flavorless. That's taken care of by the addition of herbs and seeds and spices that are used to flavor the food of the region. A little paprika, a few capers and a spoonful of caraway seeds help move the bland to "bingo." When we lived in Chicago, Lipto cheese was just a bus ride away. It became harder to find in the suburbs of New Jersey and I haven't been able to find it at all where we now live. This cheese spread is popular in Slovakia and Italy , where it's called Spuma di formaggio all'ungherese, as well as in Austria and Hungary. It's almost effortless to make and it's wonderful for those occasions where beer is the beverage of choice. Liptauer cheese spread can be made with any soft cheese. Cottage cheese, cream cheese, quark, and soft goat or sheep cheese are all great substitutes for Lipto. The cheese is mixed with sour cream, butter, and finely chopped onions. Spices like ground paprika, fresh parsley, and bruised caraway seeds are added to the mix along with mustard and anchovies. The cheese is served with crackers or dark breads such as rye or pumpernickel. Some folks serve it with vegetables and others use it to stuff vegetables. All in all, it's an amazingly versatile spread. If you add two or three extra tablespoons of sour cream to the mix, it becomes a dip that's not at all bad with chips or pretzels. Liptauer takes 10 minutes to assemble, but it's flavor improves if it's allowed to sit for a few hours before serving. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to a week. Here's the recipe.

Hi Mary, this cheese sounds delicious. I am sure we would love it too. We do love cheese but our tastes are uneducated in all things cheese. We have never been to Europe. One day. I love the castle but I don't like Vampires. LOL.

i feel like an idiot. i actually wanted to comment about this cheese b/c, originally, the title made me laugh out loud. i thought i read "LIPITOR" Cheese spread (like an idiot). You know, Lipitor, the cholesterol medication. And then I realized it was Liptauer...

thanks for the laugh anyways. oh and this does look delish. its the type of app I'd sit with for 20 minutes and then get too full off of!

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